BOO! - Pay It Forward

Here is a fun Halloween prank to play on your friends and neighbors. I found this idea over at Anders Ruff and just HAD to do it!

This little treat didn't even cost me that much. I purchased three Chinese takeout containers (.99 cents each) in orange and a bag of black Shredz ($1.99) at the Paper Zone and a bag of mixed candy from my local grocery store ($3.00).

Total cost was $8.00 but I have half the bag of candy and shredz left over. I didn't use all the print outs from Anders Ruff. Just the instructions, door tag and little circular label. The label I cut out and ran through my Xyron machine to make in to a sticker.

The instructions are really simple. You make two (I chose to make three) and deliver them in secret to a neighbors or friends house. The recipient has two days to make copies of the instructions, door tag & labels and deliver them in scret to a friend or neighbor. If there is a door tag on the door, they have already been Boo'ed and you have to deliver to someone else.

Since I took a few days off work between my jobs I snuck up to their doors and hung them on the knobs. The neighbors I left these for sometimes read my blog. So hopefully they discover them on their front door before that happens. :)

This is as fun as pulling up to your local Starbucks and having them tell you the person in the car paid for your drink!

Halloween Pumpkins

I am getting a jump start on Halloween projects in preparation for one of my favorite holidays. To go along with my grey and white dining room I have painted up some black and white pumpkins. I saw the idea for these in the Better Homes and Gardens 2009 Halloween issue.



I already had the larger pumpkin (it was orange) and purchased the smaller pumpkin (also orange). I painted both of them with some white craft paint and used some of the grey wall color to paint the stems. The larger pumpkin has black velvet ribbon attached with pearly stick pins. The smaller pumpkin has swirls painted on ith black puffy paint and black and grey stickey backed "gems".

I have a small collection of silver and glass items I keep around to use for display and when I have parties. The larger pumpkin is sitting on a cake plate and the smaller pumpkin is sitting on a small glass plate which is resting on top of a small glass bowl. Both the plate and the bowl have a silver base.

I have a few more tricks up my sleeve to get prepared for the Holiday. I am having a candle party in mid October so I want to be ready.

How are you getting ready for the holiday?

Obsession of the Week - Dreadlocks

Last September the hubs, our neighbor and I went to see 9 with my local Steampunk group. Having just joined and not owning any Steamy clothing or our own we still went to the movie with the group. While in line I saw a gal who was definitely more Punk than Steam with her hair in two messy buns worn high on her head. Her hair was in black and blue dreadlocks and it looked awesome!

I love the Victorian era clothing that Steampunk is all about but I really want a few things to make my look a little more Punk so I am determined to make my own pair from wool roving. The gal below I found on a forum. This is kind of the idea of what I am going for.

I can buy manufactured dreads at a site called Ragdolly or I can choose from tons of colors to buy and make my own. I love the colorway below but I would do brown instead of black cause my natural hair color is brown. These are not as "messy" as I would like and pretty spendy at $80 for one. I would need two.

I think I will look at trying to make my own out of brown roving. The contrast color I want to do is peacock blue and green. I like the way these dreads look below and how they incorporate some industrial elements in to them.

Dreads seem to pop up in Steampunk more often than not.

Even for men.

Now its off to the yarn sites to price roving! Sounds like a trip to my LYN this weekend is in order too!

Closer to Christmas

I got a new sewing machine. Today is my day to sew. I have stockings to make (I know, better late than never) and my sister asked me yesterday if I could make a pillow in time for Christmas Eve.

Shortly I am off to the fabric store to pick up the last items I need. Then its a day of sewing. The hubs and I are having a dinner date and then going to pick up the last of the Christmas gifts we need so they can get wrapped and we can spend tomorrow (Christmas Eve Eve) just enjoying the day off and spending time with the kids.

Steampunk

I love repurposing, vintage and things from another era. Many other eras to be exact. A friend showed me this amazing laptop a few years ago. Although kind of impracticle because it looks to be really heavy its definately one of a kind!

The concept of Steampunk is a combination of sci-fi and fantasy. The origins of Steampunk are found in the works of such authors as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, where modern or future technology is inserted into a time period in which it did not originally exist. If you watch The Legue of Extraordinary Gentleman you get the idea.

As far as fashion is concerned, steampunk is a fusion of an ornate, Victorian style and convenience of modern technology. I love the look below of a completely Victorian era top hat with a set of old fashion yet at the same time futuristic pair of goggles. Gypsymoon is an online retailer where you can find items with Steampunk flair. Clockwork Couture also has loads of Steampunk sytled clothing and really reasonable prices.

Some Steampunk works take on a kind of an “alternate history” path, where technological accomplishments such as computers are assumed to have been created at an earlier date. Take the computer featured below. Brass, vintage typewriter keys and an ornate sensibility.

Steampunk design is ornate and detailed and can be a refreshing change in the age of more modern design and utilitarian construction. The most well-known steampunk computer modification is from Jake von Slatt at the Steampunk workshop. People who crave modern technology with unique craftsmanship may find it in Steampunk.

I mean, who wouldn't want a Stempunk Vespa?

It's snowing again

I am happy to report that I finished my brothers Christmas gift last night. I still have a few thousand threads to snip then I will get it in to a box and wrap it. I'm calling it Tetris for obvious reasons. Oh - and it's HUGE!

I'm pretty thrilled with the randomness of the look of the quilt but there is nothing random about the pattern. Where you see the orange squares is where I stitched an X through the front and back with orange thread to "quilt" them together. The backing became the binding on the front. It's in the dryer right now cause it's all snowy from the photo.


Here is a special treat for you all. Someone gave me this recipe last year and it replicates a certain giant coffee sellers Christmassy treat with cranberry's and white chocolate.

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups white chocolate chips

1 ½ cups dried cranberries, coarsely chopped (I use Craisins)

1 cup toasted chopped pecans (if desired)

¼ cup grated orange zest

Preheat the oven to 350°

Lightly butter an 11 by 15 inch jelly roll pan or rimmed baking sheet. Whisk together the brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended, then stir in the white chocolate ships, cranberries, pecans, and orange zest. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan (it will be quite stiff) and bake until golden brown, about 20 to 22 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.

Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 tablespoons grated orange zest, divided

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped

6 ounces high quality white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon of the orange zest, and vanilla with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Spread the mixture over the cooled base. Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons orange zest with the dried cranberries in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture over the frosting. Melt the white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Drizzle the white chocolate over the bars and let sit until the chocolate is set.

Cut the bars into 3 inch squares and then diagonally into triangles, makes 48 bars.

I was unable to finish the Tabi socks for my SD, the fingerless gloves for my SS or the scarf for my mom. Never fear, the SK's will get their gifts in January some time and I will finish the scarf and give it to my mom or save it. It's never to early to start for next year!

Below is a shot of the first Tabi sock and a skein of yarn. I'm about to turn the heel on this sock. This color way is called Wicked Witch. I was leaning towards Lost Boys cause I thought Evil Stepmother was over the top. I will post a photo when they are done.

This is the first ever white Christmas for me and I am thrilled! Now it's time to get my house back in order. There is sewing and wrapping stuff everywhere. I may just make myself a new pair of flannel PJ bottoms first.

Happy WHITE Christmas!

Hand Crafted Christmas Update

Sadly I fell short this year of completeing all of my hand crafted items. The socks for SD got started last Monday night and I have managed to turn the heel on the first one. That is where I am at. I have not had time to rip out (again) SS's first fingerless glove or the scarf for my mom. My brothers quilt just needs backing so that will be completed this weekend.

Tomorrow the hubs and I are making a Bonsai run to the mall for the rest of our gift shopping and to make up for the hand crafted items I did not complete. I would like to do some baking this weekend as well. The kids will each get their items when they are done with I hope to be pretty soon in the New Year and I plan on keeping them a surprise.

I believe I will need to start much earlier for Christmas next year.

How did you all do on your hand crafted efforts?

Quilt Top Finished & It Snowed!

Yesterday I did a marathon sewing day while watching all three Lord of the Rings movies - extended versions. Good news I finished the quilt top for my brother in the beginning of the third movie.

I don't have a photo yet cause it's so big I just can't get a good picture. I hope to post one soon though. Now all I need is flannel for the back. I am only going to quilt it by stitching x's in the orange squares. That will hold the two pieces together in places all over. The back piece of flannel will also be the border for the front.

It snowed yesterday as well and when I got up at o dark thirty to go walking this morning I discovered at least four inches on my car.


I noticed the other day there are still blooms on my hollyhocks from last summer. Here they are in the snow.

I hope for more and could do without the ice. If it sticks around I will probably be working from home tomorrow. We are going to get our tree up and decorated today and we are doing a Harry Potter marathon.

Sadly I have not decorated much for Christmas. This year it will be the basics but all next year I will be gearing up for decorating my house for Christmas come December 1st!

Christmas Movies

I can't believe Christmas is in 12 days! I'm not nearly ready. I have craft projects to complete - or start, I have gifts to buy and everything needs to be wrapped. We bought our tree last weekend and need to put it up this weekend. I have not even decorated. Ahhhhh! (Picture Makauley Culkin in Home Alone).

I got a little of the third panel of my brothers quilt done last week. Worked long hours and was exhausted most days. This weekend is all about finishing that quilt and anything else I can start. It's supposed to snow too.

Now that we have rearranged the living room I can see the TV from the dining room table where I will sew and that reminded me of my favorite Christmas movies. I tend to enjoy the ones where everything is not picture perfect, slightly dysfunctional families and lot's of drama.

First up is the classic A Christmas Story from 1983. "Ralphie, a young boy growing up in '40's Illinois, dreams of owning a Red Rider BB gun. He sets out to convince the world this is the perfect gift. But along the way, he runs into opposition from his parents, his teacher, and even good 'ol Santa Claus himself." The hubs and I actually have a leg lamp replica but have never had the place to put it. Maybe this year we will find it."


Quote: Only one thing in the world could've dragged me away from the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window.

Next up is The Ref from 1994. "Denis Leary plays an unfortunate cat burglar, who is abandoned by his partner in the middle of a heist, and is forced to take an irritating Connecticut couple (Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis) hostage. He soon finds that he took more than he bargained for when the couple's blackmailing son and despicable in-laws step into the picture. Before long they're driving him nuts with their petty bickering and family problems. The only way for him to survive is to be their referee and resolve their differences, before he can be nabbed by the police."


Quote: "Great, I hijacked my [insert favorite expletive] parents."

A more recent holiday movie but one of my favorites (LOVE Diane Keaton) is The Family Stone from 2005. "The Stone family unites in common cause when their favorite son brings his uptight girlfriend home for the Christmas holiday, with plans of proposing. Overwhelmed by the hostile reception, she begs her sister to join her for emotional support, triggering further complications."


Quote: "Christmas is not "clothing optional" this year - we have a guest. "

Another recent favorite is The Holiday from 2006. "In London, Iris Simpkins writes a wedding column in a newspaper and has an unrequited love for her colleague Jasper Bloom. Nearly Christmas, she is informed that Jasper is engaged and will marry another colleague, and her life turns head over heels. In Los Angeles, a movie-trailers maker Amanda Woods has just broken with her unfaithful boyfriend Ethan and wants to forget him. Amanda accesses a house exchange website, and impulsively swaps her mansion for Iris' cottage in Surrey for the holiday along the next two weeks. While in Surrey, Amanda meets Iris' brother and book editor Graham and they fall in love for each other. Meanwhile Iris meet her next door neighbor, the ninety year old screenplay writer Arthur, who helps her to retrieve her self-esteem, and the film composer Miles, and they fall in love for each other."

Quote: "I don't know, but I think what I've got is something slightly resembling... GUMPTION!"

A classic for the entire family is Home Alone from 1990. "In this film, Kevin McAllister is an eight year old boy left at home by his parents, when they leave with the rest of the family for Christmas holidays to Paris. At first he seems to enjoy living alone, but after a while he understands that things aren't so easy. Especially when two robbers decide to break in a particular house. HIS house! Is he able to defend his home?"


Quote: "This is extremely important. Will you please tell Santa that instead of presents this year, I just want my family back. No toys, nothing but Peter, Kate, Buzz, Megan, Linnie and Jeff. And my aunt and my cousins. And if he has time, my Uncle Frank. Okay?"

Another personal favorite is The Santa Clause from 1994. "Divorcee Scott Calvin is disgusted to learn that his ex and her husband have tried - and failed - to break it easy to their 6-year-old son Charlie that Santa isn't real. On Christmas Eve, Scott reads The Night Before Christmas... then receives an unexpected visitor on his roof. When he's startled by Scott's calling out and falls, the Santa impersonator disappears, leaving only an 8-reindeer sleigh and a suit with instructions to put it on if he's involved in an accident. Scott does, and is transported around the town dropping gifts through chimneys until he's taken to the North Pole and informed by a group who claim they're elves that he is now Santa. Charlie is proud of his dad's new job, though Scott's convinced it's a dream. Until his hair turns white, his beard refuses to stay shaved, he gains weight inexplicably, even for his sudden love of junk food... Now he's accepted it, there's just one problem: how to keep it secret from his disbelieving family?"


Quote: "Hey, I know where this is going. The other guy fell, it was an accident. I've got homeowners insurance, and a good attorney, not as good as my wife's - but lets not open up that wound! "

The new version of the classic How The Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000. "Based on the book by the famous Dr. Seuss. Inside a snowflake exists the magical land of Whoville. In Whoville, live the Who's, an almost mutated sort of munchkinlike people. All the Who's love Christmas, yet just outside of their beloved Whoville lives the Grinch. The Grinch is a nasty creature that hates Christmas, and plots to steal it away from the Whos which he equally abhors. Yet a small child, Cindy Lou Who, decides to try befriend the Grinch."


Quote: "The nerve of those Whos. Inviting me down there - and on such short notice. Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it. Four o'clock, wallow in self pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one. 5:30, jazzercize. 6:30, dinner with me. I can't cancel that again. 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing; I'm booked. Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9 I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear?"

There are a few movies in the theaters this season I want to see. Typically we have the hubs kids Christmas morning and then they go to their mom at noon. The hubs and I have been known to see three movies on a Christmas day.

Four Christmases "When a couple tries to fly away from their family for Christmas, as they do every year, their fun turns around when all flights have been canceled. Now they have to go to four houses to celebrate Christmas while going through memories they don't want to go into and surprises they can't handle while they have to use a safe word to get out of situations ."

Nothing Like the Holidays "A Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park in west Chicago face what may be their last Christmas together."

What are your favorite Christmas movies?

Hand Crafting Update

After spending quite a bit of time yesterday locating the top of my dining room table I was able to make the hubs one of his gifts as he was out with the guys. Sorry no photos cause he reads my blog but I will post one after Christmas. SD and I watched girlie movies, made dinner and I did some sewing.

Today aside from picking up our tree and decorating it and the house and making cookies I plan on devoting all my sewing time to my brothers quilt top. My goal is to finish the top by Tuesday of this week at the latest. Then I will need to get fabric to back it (maybe a middle layer too) at some point, tack it down in several places (a nontraditional way of quilting it) and binding the edges. Then that gift will be done.

I started two knitting projects. These fingerless gloves for SS which I have now ripped out three times. I have made similar gloves with cables with no problems but these are just really stressing me out and I'm not certain why.

I am also making a scarf for my mom with extra yarn I bought for my wrap. I am using the same pattern but making it only three squares wide. I was knitting on that at lunch last Thursday and somehow screwed it up. I am going to try and fix without ripping it all the way out.

I ordered this yarn in the "Wicked Witch" colorway for SD's tabi socks on Friday. I hope it comes really quickly so I can knit those socks up.

With two and a half weeks until Christmas I better get my but in gear!

Handmade Christmas - Henrybella's

One of the gal's whose blogs I read just started her own bakery. As part of my handmade Christmas I have decided to also buy gifts from small business like hers. If you get a second check out her blog and here in the link that goes directly to her bakery site.

November Wrap Up & December Goals

November was a challenge with Christmas coming up, gifts to buy or make and tabs and emissions for my car. I took the hand crafted challenge and so far have purchased one ready made gift.

As far as income goes we maintained our employer income, had no other income and our assets fell by $414.44 due to the economy. Planned meals out this month were one and we went WAY over that. We spent more on coffee but it was a lower percentage of our fun money expense. The Landmark Forum will be placed on hold for now.

The real bummer was not being able to get the home equity loan not because we didn't qualify but because of the lower value of our condo. I updated our networth badge and compromised with the value as listed by Zillow. We also made the tough decision to temporarily stop our 401(k) contributions so we could have extra money per month to pay on our debt.

My no spend days goal for the month originally was 12. Then I changed it to 6 and had 4. I bought a few Christmas decorations with fun money but am trying really hard to decorate with what I have or find an inexpensive alternative. Been getting inspiration from this great site called JunkMarket. The stocking for my niece, flannel PJ's for my nephew and the flannel PJ bottom's for my SK's are the only handcrafted items I finished this month.

Groceries spent $451.06 which was a reduction over last month but still 12% over budget. I spent $394.77 on fun money which was an increase over last month and 3% over budget. Eating out $133.07, coffee $111.91, entertainment $42 and crafts $31.61. All increases over last month. My budget for gifts this month was $250 and I spent $174.57 $26.67 of which was non hand crafted.

Goal was minimum payments on the credit cards ($235) and loans ($705) as there was no extra money in the budget for more than that due to Christmas gifts, Thanksgiving and my dad's birthday.

Total debt balance fell to $37, 684.50 which is 66% of available credit. Credit card balances total $ 10,525.95 and loan balances total $27,158.55.

Goals for December

Complete all hand crafted and buy all store bought Christmas gifts by December 22nd.

• Flannel quilt & premade vegan dinner for brother
• Fingerless gloves for SS
• Tabi socks for SD
• Scarf for mom
• ??? for dad
• ??? for sister & bil (already bought them one thing)
• ??? for nephew (already made flannel PJ's)
• ??? for niece (already made Christmas stocking)
• XXX & XXX for the hubs (he reads this blog so I can't say here - sorry honey)

Have 6 no spend days
Walk 4 times
Work out 8 times
Maintian EI and not worry about OI for this month

Tetris

I came up with an idea for a quilt for my brother last year. It reminds me of Tetris.

A Russian video game where you take tetrominoes and put them together kind of like a puzzle to eliminate rows and keep going in the game.

The blocks I have in the quilt are based on these tetrominoes. Each color of six in the quilt has it's own unique block shape. Orange is a 4 x 4 square, Grey is a 4 x 8 rectangle, Blue is a 4 x 12 rectangle, Burgundy is a 4 x 8 x 4 L shape, Green is a 4 x 4 square and Brown is an 8 x 12 rectangle. I used excel to manipulate the different pieces to create a quilt top. The finished size will be 84 x 112 inches.

The photo above is a screen shot of my excel template. The colors are kind of off but you get the general idea of what the finished result will look like. The cool thing about this pattern is the upper left corner and the bottom right corner are mirror images and the upper right corner and the bottom left corner are mirror images. When you get to the middle it still makes a pretty cool pattern. It could even be called organized chaos.

This is the best I could do color wise with my digital camera. The orange is not as bright as it is in real life but the rest of the colors are pretty accurate. I spent last night cutting out all the pieces (need a tad bit more orange, green and brown as I miscalculated a bit but that will not be a problem or a large expense). I plan on backing this quilt with a large flannel sheet. This is going to be more like a blanket than a puffy quilt but it's flannel so will be nice and warm. This project I don't expect to be completed by the end of this month.

I think I'm still on track for completing seven hand crafted Christmas gifts this month. I need to wait until the SK's go back to their mom tomorrow to do three others. They will be at their mom's for the Thanksgiving weekend so I have a lot of time to get crafty that weekend.

I did buy some fabric yesterday to make the hubs something for Christmas. Unfortunately I can't post photos or even say what it will be cause he reads my blog. I will have to kick him out of the house when I am ready to make it.

Goal Update

Well, not a lot of hand crafting has been going on here at Chez Paisley Penguin. Tonight I got SS's flannel PJ bottoms almost complete. I just need to add the drawstring to the waist and close up the opening. Sorry for the color here. It has a slight olive green tinge but it's really a pearl grey background. I loved the intricate detail on the skulls.



SD's flannel PJ bottoms are another story. I fell in love with this cute fabric (not certain why I have a skull theme going on). There was only two yards on the bolt and I needed 2 3/4 yards for the PJ pattern I have. I wish I could find my awesome PJ bottom pattern that calls for two yards and only one pattern piece. It's kind of a rocker chick look I think.


I'm disappointed but not deterred. I am going to stop at the fabric store tomorrow night and see if I am lucky enough to find more. If not, I will get a plain color (pink, grey or black) and make cuffs from the patterned fabric. I might even buy a plain t-shirt and cut out one of the skulls to iron on to it. Hmmmmm.......

So that is 2 3/4 of the 7 hand crafted projects I wanted to have completed this month. I expect to have both PJ bottoms finished tomorrow night and I will cast on for SS's fingerless gloves tomorrow at work on my lunch break. The fingerless gloves are the men's version of a pair I have made at least three times. They knit up pretty quickly so I should be OK. That just means two other hand crafted projects to get done this month. The clock is ticking!

On to the no spend days front. Sadly I have a total of three of the twelve I wanted to have. Part of the problem is I waited to tell the hubs my idea and we didn't do the best about communicating when we needed things to combine shopping trips and leave more days open for no spend. We have ten days left until the end of the month and I don't imagine nine of them will be no spend. So, I am changing my goal for this month to a total of six no spend days. That leaves three more by the end of the month. If I can squeeze more in I will. Next month I should be much better at this.

ETSY is the new Couture

If you have never browsed or shopped at ETSY and are interested in purchasing quality hand crafted items from people who care about what they make you should really check it out!

My friend known as Betty Boogie (posted about her yesterday) sent me a link to an ETSY shop that is completely amazing! I am a huge fan of vintage. Specifically the late 20's to early 50's era. And I love hats!

Terry Graziano designs her own hats using "a combination of draping, flat patterning, and machine and hand sewing". She uses designer mill-end surplus fabrics normally that would just end up in a landfill so she's eco friendly and all of her designs have five ways to wear them.

My favorite in her collection are "Incognito" - blue tweed chenille and "Confidante" - chocolate multi pinstripe.

Click on her ETSY site here or her blog here.

Betty Boogie's Oddventure

Happy weekend to everyone. Sorry I have been absent for a few days. Catching up on my sleep from staying up and making PJ's for my nephew for Christmas and going to a midnight movie will do that to a person.

Sorry to say I was a little disappointed with Quantum of Solace. The direction they took this movie was out of character for Bond. The villain was really forgettable and they used some of those shaky film cuts used in Bourne Supremacy which I do not like. Cool flat surface computer graphics and at least this Bond girl has a brain. An homage to Goldfinger as well. The hubs wants to give it another try in the theater so I probably will see it again.

Not much to report in the hand crafted arena today because of the previous mentioned lack of sleep. I need to do some serious grocery shopping and a little clean up around the house. I did FINALLY get more yarn for Lady E Thursday and have been knitting on her. She's almost done and I discovered I bought more yarn than I probably needed. That's OK, the colors are ones my mom likes so she is getting a scarf for Christmas styled like my wrap but not as wide.

Funny thing is I may have to block Lady E at my parents house since I have no place here I can do that without it getting trampled and covered in cat or dog hair.

Not much else going on today. The hubs is finally getting his overdue b-day gift. Ingredients for making beer - dark, dark beer. I can't work on flannel PJ's for the SK's cause they are here so that will be next week. I do have a two sweaters I picked up at the thrift store to make the SK's new stockings. These are not a surprise so I can work on them with them here.

Tonight I'm headed over to Betty Boogie's (name changed to protect the crafty) for Taco's, boardgames and cards. "Betty" and I are friends IRL. She's really in to vintage (like me) and has costumed several local play productions. She's a stay at home mom of four who is currently living in the dissaray of a home remodel. When you get a chance check out her new blog which she will link to her ETSY site.

Monkey PJ's

As part of my November goals I want to make seven hand crafted Christmas Gifts. These flannel PJ's are for my three year old nephew (sorry for the photo - it's really hard to take a shot of these).


My brother in law calls him monkey. I totally fell in love with this fabric. Here is a detailed shot.

Two hand crafted projects down. Five to go this month.

Christmas Stocking Project

As promised here are photos of my Christmas stocking for my three month old niece (she will be almost five months old at Christmas). It's made from a sweater of wool, cashmere & angora - sooooooooooooo soft and the color is a nice creamy white as opposed to a harsh white. I found the sweater at a thrift store for $5 and spent $2.99 on the pom pom trim of which I have a little left over to use on something else.


I traced an existing stocking I had for a pattern and then pinned it to the front of the sweater making certain the center cable was smack in the middle of the stocking vertically. I then stitched with my sewing machine around the stocking pattern to hold the knit stitches in place so when I cut I would not lose the integrity of the fabric. For those of you that don't know this is called steeking.


I wanted to include the collar of the sweater as the cuff of the stocking so I stopped cutting at the top of the pattern, removed the pattern and then pinned it to the back. I traced around it with stitches again and then and went up and over the shoulder ending up even with the stitches from the front.

Once the entire piece was cut out I flipped it inside out and stitched it together. After that it was as simple as hand stitching the pom pom fringe to the inside of the collar bottom and using a little extra sweater fabric for a loop which I hand stitched inside.


I wish it could stay on my mantle. May have to find some more yummy sweaters for my house. The bonus - arm warmers for me!


I'm such a little devil. My grandma (pictured as a little girl circa 1920 in the photo on my mantle) would be so proud! Be sure to stop back throughout the Holiday season to see what else I come up with.


What are you all making for people this year?

November Goals Update

So far this month I have had three no spend days. Today would have been number four but I completely forgot to eat breakfast before leaving for work. Normally I have packets of oatmeal in my desk but no such luck today. Since I need some groceries I will get those tonight so I can get at least three more no spend days in this week.

If you have not tried the Portabello mushroom Piadini at Starbucks - go, go now and try it!

Last night I completed the first of my hand crafted gifts. I took a wool/angora/cashmere sweater I found at the thrift store and turned it in to a stocking for my niece. I fell asleep last night before I could upload photos so will post those tonight.

Where is Lady E?

My last post regarding Lady E I had run out of yarn and still had ten tiers (twenty rows) to go plus the end row of half triangles and fringe.

On the first weekend of September I went down to my LYS (local yarn shop) to pick up three more skeins of my Noro Kuryon. They were out of my colorway and said they would order some for me.

It still has not come in yet. I'm getting antsy to finish it since the weather is so cruddy now.

I am headed to the LYS today to hopefuly pick up more to work on my wrap but also need a skein of funky self striping yarn to make these (photo of book cover is item) Tabi socks for SD for Christmas.

*****Update - just got back from LYS and they still don't have my yarn! Apparently this kind of yarn takes a while to get. I wish I would have known that. Still would not have prevented me from ordering more but I would be more prepared to wait it out.

Didn't find anything I liked for SD's Tabi socks so will look on Knit Picks.

As for the rest of the day. I'm going to turn thrift store sweaters in to Christmas stockings! Hope to update with photos tomorrow!